Newsom defends China trip that California Republican calls ‘another grandstanding moment’

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GAVIN NEWSOM DEFENDS HIS INTERNATIONAL TRAVELS

Via Maggie Angst...

Gov. Gavin Newsom pushed back against the pushback from Republicans Tuesday on his just-completed week-long trip to China and brief visit to Israel.

The second-term Democrat has been peppered with criticism from GOP lawmakers that it was purely political theater designed to boost his standing within the party. They pointed to photos of Newsom and Chinese President Xi Jinping, sitting across from one another and shaking hands, as Exhibit A.

“He does whatever is necessary to make his political aspirations continue and his trip to China was another grandstanding moment for him,” said Sen. Brian Dahle, R-Bieber, his 2022 re-election opponent.

Newsom, discussing the trek in a call with reporters, dismissed their disparagement.

“That was not top of mind as the reason for the trip,” he said.

The stated objective, officials have said, was to advance California’s climate policies and promote environmental partnerships, economic development and tourism.

Newsom described it an “opportunity to build momentum” and to “reinvigorate partnerships” ahead of the next month’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in San Francisco.

Although China continues to permit more coal plants and several Chinese cities still have some of the world’s worst air quality, Newsom said California still has much to learn from the country.

As for what Californians may gain from the trip, he pointed to Chinese developments in offshore wind (the country is the world’s largest generators of wind power) and its push to build more electric vehicles.

The trip was paid for by The California State Protocol Foundation, a nonprofit that funds gubernatorial travel.

A THIRD OF CALIFORNIANS ARE UNIMPRESSED WITH EITHER POLITICAL PARTY

California voters may be predominantly Democratic, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t just as frustrated with their own party as they are with the Republicans minority.

A survey from the Public Policy Institute of California finds that half of Californians dislike the Democratic Party and 75% dislike the Republican Party, while a third dislike both.

Is this good news for third parties? Perhaps, as 71% of California voters say they want a third major party in the state. That’s up from 54% in 2019.

The survey, shared in a recent blog post, shows that liberals (23%) are less inclined to dislike both parties than moderates (43%) and conservatives (32%).

Disaffected California voters are also less likely to support President Joe Biden, with 70% disapproving of his job performance, compared to 50% of all Californians.

“If the 2024 election is a rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, about a quarter of the likely voters in this group say they would vote for someone else, and 5% say they would vote for neither candidate or that they would not vote for president,” according to the blog post.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

““Let’s not forget Newsom campaigned for governor on shutting down ‘dirty emitter’ Aliso Canyon. However, he extended the life of the natural gas storage facility and Diablo Canyon power plant, along with three natural gas plants in Southern California. He’s a great chameleon. He does whatever is necessary to make his political aspirations continue and his trip to China was another grandstanding moment for him. His record with EDD, DMV, and prolonged school closures have left Californians, businesses, and children suffering. He’s a one-man show and his legacy as governor will be one of irreparable damages.”

- Sen. Brian Dahle, R-Bieber, responding to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recent climate trip to China in a statement.

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